We’ve mentioned in previous posts that prospective clients have called us and asked, “I am looking at rebranding. How much will it cost to have you redesign my logo?”

This is always a tough question to answer for several reasons. The biggest issue, however, is that rebranding and logo redesign are not necessarily the same thing. Rebranding may include a logo redesign in addition to other changes – repositioning, new collateral materials, improved focus, sales technique changes, etc. – and in other cases, a rebrand does not have to include a logo redesign at all.

We see this happen often with small businesses as well as with non-profits. The truth is while we love creating and implementing a new brand campaign, we actually want to effect change in the businesses we work with (that is how we stay in business) and not just take their money. In many cases, when a client says they need to rebrand, they do…but they need to do more than redesign their logo.

This may sound counterintuitive to how much emphasis we have given to logo design in previous blogs, but it’s really not. Logo design is important – we stand by those comments. When you go through with it you want to do it right, but you also want to make sure you are ready and have a strong and healthy unique selling proposition BEFORE you anyone redesigns your logo.

Focusing on your business’ unique selling proposition, or USP, is a key first step to rebranding. Once you analyze your company’s position and how well (or not well) you are implementing that position in all areas (customer service, sales, marketing, billing, etc.) this will really help you determine what your next step is…if any. Keep in mind that YOU alone cannot identify your USP, but with the assistance of your key customers, you will find it quickly. Make sure to listen to them. Capitalize on what they are saying by making effective changes through all of your touch-points that will emphasize your position. Only then are you ready to reinvent your logo…if it even needs reinventing at all.

When working with small businesses and non-prfofits, we often discover that a change – or creating a more streamlined focus on the brand – will have the biggest impact. So the bottomline is if you’re thinking about “rebranding,” keep in mind what a brand really is and what problem your trying to solve. Changing a logo doesn’t always do the trick you think it will.

Call us if you have questions and want to talk about whether or not your business needs a change…

Did you know some businesses get started without one? It’s not the wisest decision, but sometimes when

a hobby or side gig grows organically and forming a business is the natural next step, it can, on occasion happen that the logo comes later in the process.

If you plan to do any form of marketing or advertising with your business, and you want people to remember your product or service, it is necessary to have a logo. To make things even more challenging, if you plan to compete with the big guys (i.e. national chains, well-known franchises, etc.) you need more than JUST a logo. You need a stellar logo – one that looks professional enough to say, “I can compete with the big boys.” Your logo needs to say your business is savvy and powerful, but most important, your logo needs to be memorable.

Startup logo design by Prairie Magic Design

Sometimes, however, I think we place an undue amount of pressure on having the perfect logo, especially when starting a business. We have seen it many times when a person starts a business…they want to create the perfect logo, and rightfully so. Every business owner wants to make the best first impression possible. However, after multiple rounds of critiques and changes, a finished logo that has them walking on air, and an an exorbitant amount of money spent on branded t-shirts, laptop cases, pens, and more, many business owners end up wanting to change or “tweak” their logo pretty soon (within three months of starting their business). If major investments were made to support the brand identity, this can get tricky.

Startup logo design by Prairie Magic Design

While it is important to create a logo that best defines your brand from the very beginning, you might hold off on extreme investments that include your logo…if you can. Sometimes this is not possible due to storefront signage, employee uniforms, wraps for vehicles, etc. We often recommend to our clients to purchase only the branded items you must have immediately. This way, if you want to make tweaks to your logo later, the process will be less painful and less expensive.

Rolling out a new logo can be a challenge no matter what stage you are at in your business. In the excitement of rebranding we often want to just get it out there and let everyone know! This makes sense if you’re going to host a large-scale grand re-opening or some other big event that celebrates the new brand. If you decide to evolve your logo to look more modern and reflect an updated image, the more savvy and efficient way to launch your logo is to integrate the new logo into your materials as it makes sense. For example, use up that stack of 500 business cards first. Only print new cards when you need more. This phased-in approach is much more affordable and most customers will understand.

In the end, if your new logo is simply an “evolution” of your look, your customers who “get” your brand will recognize it. Also, remember that your logo is simply one element of your brand. An important element? Yes, very! Your overall brand, however, is about so much more. Do you provide value and quality customer service? That’s what your customers will remember you for, and you can use that logo to grab attention and let new customers know the solutions your business provides.

So, should you have a logo first or a business? We say a logo, but even if your business came first, don’t fret. Just make it a priority to use what you’ve learned about your business to create the best logo possible!

In the marketing world, many people use the words ‘brand’ and ‘identity’ interchangeably. Even the best of the best in marketing do this on occasion, but is there actually a difference? Yes.

This blog will be the first in a series of blogs titled, “Taking the Next Step.” If you’re not having success in your marketing, follow us for ideas on how to proceed…

First, let’s discuss your brand. Is there anyone sitting around you right now that is familiar with your brand? If so, ask them (seriously – ask them right now) what words and/or emotions come to mind when they think of your brand? Take notes and really listen without interrupting (even if you disagree). This is your brand. Now, ask yourself, what stories come to my mind when you think about your brand? What about memories? This is your brand. Think about the relationships you have because of your business. This, too, is your brand.

A brand is the specific perception created in the minds of customers about a company’s products and/or services. It is how customers connect and relate to your company. When a marketeer asks about your brand, they want to know what it says about you. Many people understand this concept, but don’t get how their brand relates to the rest of their marketing…

A brand is like the brain. A brand is the driving force behind the marketing in a company, just like the

This is an awesome image we found about the brain and branding on another marketing site from cogent.

brain is the driving force behind many functions in our bodies. A company’s identity is like one of those functions. A company’s identity consists of all the visual devices that are used to communicate, symbolize, portray, and even reinforce a company’s brand. Think about your stationary, business cards, Website, key words, mission statement, colors, and even fonts. These are your company’s identity.

So the bottomline is that you brand is your company’s overall personality, while your company identity is all about the visuals that represent your personality.

How does this help you with a next step? Many customers call us and tell us they need to “rebrand,” but what they really need is help with their identity – collateral materials, Website, positioning. Others call us and tell us they need a new logo. Yet, when we ask them about their brand, it is all over the map and there is no consistent message. They need to start with a branding strategy. Hopefully this blog will help you determine what it is that your company really needs to move forward with a successful marketing plan.

Check back next Tuesday for the second blog in this series…What Comes First the Logo or the Company?

“Print will be dead soon.” “You need to go paperless.” “Are you still using a printer?”

We’ve all heard something like this at least once, but should you really stop printing marketing materials?

Definitely not.

The world of print is far from dead. In fact, it still serves an important role in marketing. While it is great – and necessary – to take advantage of digital marketing opportunities, to have a total integrated marketing approach, you will still spend some money on print.

So, what can print pieces do that digital marketing cannot?

Flyer designed for Old Town T-Shirts

Because printed pieces are tangible, they tend to hang around on desks and shelves and in homes and offices for a long time. A printed piece now could still be working for you later!

The physicality of a print piece can help establish your brand: weight, texture, look, and feel all say something about your brand. Did you use recycled paper or a high gloss, heavy weight? Did you go with a traditional post card or classic tri-fold or did you use a more innovative die-cut design?

A print piece gives you a few more seconds to get noticed! A Website is often skimmed in about 15 seconds. Some magazines are read for about 45 minutes.

By planning print pieces wisely you can still spend less money on print by driving viewers to your digital content. Integrating your print piece with coordinating landing page can actually get killer results!

Printing collateral is sometimes the only option, depending on your target audience!

Make sure to integrate QR codes and Social Media icons that will drive traffic online. Also, use special landing pages that coordinate with the look and feel of your campaigns so prospective customers will know they are in the right place when they find your page.

Postcard designed for Coupon Chuck. QR Codes are effective for getting people to take immediate action.

If you’re not sure about when a print piece is the way to go, or if you could use some help integrating your marketing campaigns for better results, call us. We want to put the magic in your marketing!

Today I met someone who is starting a new business. They wanted to know when – in the business planning process – is the right time to start thinking about marketing. The short answer is “right away.”

Your marketing is going to be the driver of so many things so the sooner you get started thinking about your brand and what story you want your business to tell, the sooner you can start thinking about some of the logistics like ordering signage, shop layout (if you have a physical location), and budgets.

We have met a lot of entrepreneurs that build their business first and worry about marketing later – this causes a lot of frustration and annoyance for the business owner. They usually end up spending money without thinking through the appropriate marketing processes. When they do finally take the time to execute this step, it is often too late to take back some of the original investments that were made. As an entrepreneur-in-the-making, you have the opportunity to break this cycle and do things the right way! One of the top three things most entrepreneurs claim they would do different if they could do it all over is branding. Many small businesses think they do not need a brand…they do not need a story. They do. We all do…if we want to be successful.

Working with a business-to-be is the best kind of project for us, but not for the reasons you might be thinking. We really like to be involved early on before the business launches because we are able to build a plan from the ground up with no pre-existing marketing decisions and investments to keep in mind. Often times we are asked to work on a rebranding strategy for a company, but we cannot change some of the larger investments until they become damaged or run out (e.g. shop signage, van wraps, stationary, business cards). While we completely understand these limitations (as we are also a small business), they do often require a soft launch of the rebrand. A soft launch is not a bad thing, it just leads to slower results (most people like to see big results right away). With a completely fresh slate, we are able to be as creative as we want and produce the best solution to get fast results.

Bottomline, if you are thinking about starting a business, you should be thinking about your marketing at the same time. It will help you to spend less money in the long run which will make your business more financially stable and consistent in the eyes of your community.

If you would like some assistance in the marketing process for a new business, we would love to learn more about what you are building and get an idea of when you are planning to launch. We will always work around your schedule to make sure we can meet your deadlines.

About Prairie Magic Design

Boutique Design Agency At Your Service

We know we're lucky to have so much talent in the Wichita area! We also know you have several options when it comes to your design services, but if you're looking for that extra-special personalized approach, the kind of attention you expect to receive for additional money, you'll get that attention — minus the higher price — from the gals at Prairie Magic Design.